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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26022622">Small Black Coffee</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter'>digthewriter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Community: rarepair_shorts, Crush, F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Happy Ending, Pining, Post War, Secret Crush</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:27:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26022622</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/digthewriter/pseuds/digthewriter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Small black coffee," Hermione said for the sixteenth time. She'd stopped in four times a week for the past month.</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Pansy Parkinson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Rare Pair Shorts - Summer Wishlist Event 2020, welcome to the coffee house (also serving tea)</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Small Black Coffee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/articcat621/gifts">articcat621</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started with a courtesy check-in at the coffeeshop where Parkinson worked. Her usual Ministry Officer had left on maternity leave so the Ministry had asked Hermione to do a <i>casual</i> drop-in to ensure everything was fine. It was so stupid, thought Hermione, Pansy was going to see right through her. She would <i>know</i> Hermione was there on Ministry business. But a job was a job and she couldn't very well tell no to her supervisors. </p><p>Well, it had started that way. Unfortunately for Hermione, once she'd started to check-in, she couldn't stop. </p><p>"What will it be today, Granger?" </p><p>Parkinson looked annoyed as always. She'd been working at the Muggle café for three years now, as it was part of her rehabilitation post-war. She was assigned to live and work with Muggles until her twenty-first birthday. Harry had managed to reduce her sentence from something that was going to be a lot more strict. In the end, McGonnagall and agreed Parkinson's reaction on the day of the battle was out of fear and not anything more. </p><p>Parkinson had tried to argue the same, she might have been a mean schoolmate, but she didn't actually wish for Potter to <i>die</i> by the hands of the Dark Lord. She'd simply panicked and was convinced no one was going to come and rescue them. </p><p>"Small black coffee," Hermione said for the sixteenth time. She'd stopped in four times a week for the past month.</p><p>"Brilliant," Parkinson said dryly. </p><p>"They're going to assign you a new officer," Hermione managed to say as she paid for her coffee. "Since Sharon will be out for several more months." </p><p>"Oh?" Parkinson asked. "Someone who will come and visit me once every two weeks then?" </p><p>Hermione nodded once. </p><p>"And you're going to stop coming by?" There was something in Pansy's tone Hermione couldn't place. </p><p>"I…" Hermione struggled for words. "I could come by still, if you'd like, or maybe…" </p><p>"Maybe?" Parkinson drawled. Bloody hell she knew exactly what Hermione was doing there, day after day, week after week. </p><p>"I could buy you a drink. Wine. I mean. Not coffee." </p><p>"Yeah?" Parkinson said, looking amused. "You sure the Ministry isn't going to label me an alcoholic then?" </p><p>"I won't tell them." </p><p>"You sure about that, Granger?" </p><p>Hermione gave a small smile and nodded once again. "Yeah. Just between us." </p><p>"Very well, you're on." Pansy winked at Hermione and handed her some change back. "I get off at eight." </p><p>"Yeah…" Hermione said softly. "I know."</p>
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